The invention relates to a sidewall of a vehicle having at least one opening which can be closed by means of at least one cover, wherein the cover is displaceably mounted in at least one guide rail, and disposed between the guide rail and the sidewall is at least one auxiliary support which is connected both to the sidewall and to the guide rail.
The invention also relates to a use of an auxiliary support in a vehicle.
In the case of walls of the type stated in the introduction, the loadings which occur during practical operation can produce deformations which by reason of the direct connection of the guide rail can be transmitted to said guide rail, whereby it is no longer possible to guarantee that the opening can be opened and closed in a problem-free manner by means of a cover. Above all, in the case of rail-borne vehicles and ships it is possible for the situation to arise that as a result door openings, cargo hatchways etc., which can be closed by means of a cover mounted in a guide rail, e.g. a sliding door, can no longer be closed with the required degree of sealing-tightness.
For example, in connection with sliding walls/panels DE 299 22 481 U1 is known which describes a device from the domain of residential construction for the movable arrangement of a sliding door in front of a door opening which comprises a frame and has a running rail in which running rollers of the sliding door can be moved. The running rail is held by several holders, wherein at least some of the holders are attached to a lining board of the frame between the frame and wall. By reason of the fact that it is complicated to achieve the known solution, the said solution is associated with extremely high costs. Above all, with regard to the small amount of leeway in production costs as a result of competition, it is only possible to justify the outlay which is absolutely necessary in the production of sliding doors in vehicle construction.
DE 299 06 739 describes a suspension device for a displaceable closing element having a running rail, which extends in the direction of displacement, for the closing element and having an intermediate rail, which extends along the running rail, for the purpose of attaching the running rail to a construction element of a house. The intermediate rail is connected by way of a connection support to the construction element
U.S. Pat. No. 4,073,034 describes a door-support system for sliding doors, in particular for lift doors, wherein a door frame which protrudes beyond the wall is provided with an L-shaped auxiliary support, on which in turn a running rail is disposed. This document also makes no reference as to how to prevent the introduction of deformation forces in a running rail of a vehicle, so that the door does not have to be readjusted. A disadvantage of the known design is primarily that it is necessary to provide a door frame which is disposed in front of the wall and to which the auxiliary support can be attached. As it is generally the case that vehicles are not provided with this type of door frame which is disposed in front of a vehicle wall, this design is not suitable for vehicle construction.
EP 0 343 351 A1 discloses a sliding door arrangement having a sliding door, in particular for lift doors, which is disposed in such a manner as to be able to move in a running rail, wherein the running rail can be attached to a base.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,768,060 A discloses a sliding door for a sidewall of a vehicle, e.g. a rail-borne vehicle, wherein the sliding door is displaceably mounted on an upper guide rail by means of rollers. The guide rail is formed in a T-shaped manner, wherein the rear part of the guide rail faces the sidewall, so that the free limb of the guide rail which extends perpendicularly with respect to the rear part protrudes outwardly and forms a rolling surface for the rollers of the sliding door. At its upper end region allocated to the guide rail, the sliding door comprises a Z-shaped stop element which engages under the rear part of the T-shaped guide rail, thus preventing the sliding door from tilting away from the sidewall or thus ensuring guidance of the sliding door. In order to be able to dispose the Z-shaped stop element, which is required for reasons of design, between the guide rail and the sidewall, the guide rail must be spaced apart from the sidewall. For this purpose, an auxiliary support which is formed as an angular element is provided between the guide rail and the sidewall of the rail-borne vehicle and is attached with a limb to the upper side of a longitudinal support or door profile, wherein a second limb extends in parallel with an outer side of the longitudinal support. The guide rail is connected to the limb of the auxiliary support connected in parallel with respect to the outer side, but protrudes in parallel with the outer side of the longitudinal support beyond said longitudinal support, so that the required space installation space [sic] for the Z-shaped stop element is provided between the longitudinal support and the guide rail.
GB 2 166 789 A discloses a sidewall of a vehicle which comprises a door opening which can be closed by means of a sliding door displaceably mounted in a guide rail with a U-shaped profile. The guide rail is in direct contact with a longitudinal roof support or the sidewall. A disadvantage of the known solution is primarily that by reason of the direct contact between the longitudinal roof support or sidewall and the guide rail it is possible for deformation forces to be transmitted from the sidewall to the guide rail.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,798,180 A describes a sliding door which is displaceably mounted on a guide rail. The guide rail is supported on a projection of the sidewall and can be connected directly thereto. In the illustrated embodiment, the guide rail can be connected to the sidewall by means of a z-shaped auxiliary support in order to protect the corners of the sidewall. The auxiliary support is connected in this case to the upper side of a profile of the sidewall.
Problems which are associated with the deformation of the running rail are conventionally solved by the temporary readjustment of the cover and of the guide rail. However, a disadvantage of this solution is the high maintenance outlay and the associated high costs.
Therefore, it is an object of the invention to provide a way of dispensing with the readjustment of the cover plate settings without impairing the functionality of the displaceable cover plate. It is also an object of the invention to provide a way of enabling the guide rail to remain free of deformation in the event of loadings which act upon the sidewall.
This object is achieved in accordance with the invention with a sidewall of a vehicle of the type stated in the introduction by virtue of the fact that the guide rail is completely spaced apart from the sidewall by means of the auxiliary support and at least sections of the at least one auxiliary support are connected to lateral profiles and/or to the underside of an upper profile of the opening.
The invention renders it possible to prevent wall deformations or deformation forces from being transmitted to the cover, since the arrangement of the auxiliary support serves to prevent these loadings from being introduced into the guide rail.
In accordance with one advantageous embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the opening comprises two lateral profiles which are mutually connected at their upper end regions by means of an upper profile, wherein at least sections of the auxiliary support arm connected to the guide rail and to the upper profile. In the case of this embodiment, it is possible in a particularly effective manner to prevent the introduction of deformation forces, which act upon the sidewall, into the guide rail by virtue of the fact that the auxiliary support is formed in its middle region as an angular support having at least one limb which extends in parallel with the underside of the upper profile and this region of the auxiliary support is connected at least in sections to the underside of the upper profile, wherein regions of the auxiliary support disposed outside the region of the opening extend at a spaced interval from the sidewall.
The attachment of the at least one guide rail to the auxiliary support can be improved by virtue of the fact that the auxiliary support is substantially the same length as the upper guide rail.
In one advantageous embodiment, the auxiliary support is screwed to the upper profile and to the at least one guide rail.
For reasons of reducing weight and of simplifying production, the auxiliary support is formed as an aluminium profile.
In another advantageous embodiment, it is provided that the auxiliary support is manufactured from special steel.
In one embodiment of the invention which is very significant in practice, the wall is formed as a sidewall of the superstructure of a rail-borne vehicle.
The above-described object is also achieved by the use of an auxiliary support in a vehicle in that it is disposed between the guide rail and the sidewall in order to minimise the deformation forces which are transmitted from a sidewall of a vehicle to a guide rail, in which is displaceably mounted at least one cover of at least one opening in the sidewall.
The invention together with further advantages is explained in detail hereinunder with reference to some non-limiting exemplified embodiments which are schematically illustrated in the attached drawing, in which
FIG. 1 shows a side view of a section of an inventive sidewall of a vehicle;
FIG. 2 shows the sidewall of FIG. 1 having an auxiliary support in accordance with the invention;
FIG. 3 shows a section along the line Axe2x80x94A in FIG. 1 of a first embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 4 shows a section along the line Bxe2x80x94B in FIG. 1 of a first embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 5 shows a section along the line Axe2x80x94A in FIG. 1 of a second embodiment of the invention; and
FIG. 6 shows a section along the line Bxe2x80x94B in FIG. 1 of a second embodiment of the invention.